WiLD Blog

Every industrial boom in history has provided a legacy of environmental damage that takes generations to repair. China is the leading provider of offshore labor in the world and continues to support the global economy by building more coal burning factories each year. The outstanding fact today is that pollution has made cancer the leading cause of death in China. This is stunning when you learn that in China 89,000 people die in road accidents per year, the highest number of automobile related deaths in the world. In 2003 the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning reported 300,000 deaths from ambient air pollution. This number has no doubt risen since then.  500 million people in China lack access to unpolluted drinking water and only 1% of 560 million city residents breathe ‘safe’ air (according to EU standards). As a result of grim statistics, China’s government has banned the publication of data on the subject in order to subdue social unrest.

With the 2008 Olympics rapidly approaching Beijing is scrambling to find a solution to their toxic grey skies. The U.S. has held the gold metal for leading producer of greenhouse gases for decades but the International Energy Agency has now said that China could become the emissions leader by the end of 2007, emitting over 6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year.

To the rest of the world it appears that China has accepted the effects of pollution as the norm. In many industrial cities there are few days of the year when the sun is visible through the grey haze. In Zhejiang province China’s coastline is so polluted that algal red tides have wiped out all other marine life. These facts paint a picture of a science fiction novel for us but it is a reality for 1.32 billion Chinese living in this moment.

In direct correlation with massive pollution increase is a record breaking growth in the economy. China’s Communist Party would like to believe that economic growth and prosperity will alleviate pollution. In this case pollution and growth go hand in hand.

Heavy industrial and urban growth requires grave amounts of energy. In China almost 100% of industry is fueled by the most readily available and dirtiest form of energy, coal. Today the world becomes smaller to all of us as scientists disclose meteorological findings in global air circulation. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released by China’s coal powered plants fall as acid rain in Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo, just to mention a few affected areas. In fact, much of Los Angeles particulate pollution originates in China.

Environmental problems get harder and more expensive to address the longer they remain unresolved. Officials in China blame polluted air and water for social unrest. Health care cost’s increase, water shortages jeopardize farmland, and poverty remains high. But the government is beginning to recognize the long-term effects of environmental neglect. Campaigns have begun to close illegal mines and redesign heavily polluting factories. Also more initiatives have been created to develop solar and wind powered energy sources. President Hu Jintao created a project to measure the G.D.P of districts by factoring in the cost of pollution. This would put real pressure on corrupt officials who have been working for their own financial benefit. After the first results the project was thrown out when G.D.P in many provinces was reduced to zero.

Change is mandatory for China and although market based incentives do not exist, a decrease in emissions has been mandated by Communist Party leaders. A goal of 20% less energy to achieve the same economic activity has been set for 2010. In addition, 10% decrease in mercury, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants must be met in the same period. 

It’s true that Britain, the U.S. and Japan all polluted their way to prosperity and only worried about the problems after their economies matured and a middle class demanded better living conditions. China would like to use this as a free pass to pollution. But the New York Times points out that “China is like a teenage smoker with emphysema”. They haven’t reached economic stability and have reached environmental crisis. There is no western model to follow. China’s environmental scientists recognize the problems facing China today by stating “our greatest achievement is our biggest burden”.

Corina Marks.

Common sense tells us that the greater the population, the greater the amount of food needed to support the population. So, when you read an article that says that the China’s annual grain harvest will decrease by 10% by the year 2030 you might not understand the impact unless it comes to your attention that today China’s population is just over 1.3 billion and is expected to grow to 1.5 billion by 2030. This increase in population will demand an additional 100 million tons of food to survive.

Global warming is expected to decrease China’s annual grain harvest by 10% in 2030. Farmers have concluded that warmer weather shortens the growth period of some grains and seeds do not get sufficient time to ripen. Another effect of a warmer climate is increased pests & insects that consume crops as a food source. Also, increased evaporation of ground water will demand more irrigation and put stress on water supplies. All this could be remedied by extending farmland but unfortunately in China agricultural land has been shrinking due to increasing population and urbanization processes. What does a country do when crop production is decreasing and demand for food is increasing? Genetically modified grains have yielded higher harvests but their long-term sustainability is unknown. 

The Chinese government has publicized a series of reports in recent months on the impact of global warming and it’s effect on China. Water flow from China’s two largest rivers, the Yangtze and the Yellow, has decreased due to shrinking wetlands at the headwaters. Also global warming has caused the glaciers in northwestern China to melt rapidly. The glacier melting provides a large amount of water (along with flooding) in a small amount of time and without sufficient storage facilities and aqueducts the water will be lost.

Here we have numerous facts that pose serious problems for a country plagued by poverty. Global warming will no doubt affect underdeveloped countries more dramatically than western countries who have more money to devote to malleable infrastructure. Scientists are working hard to find the answers but the outcome remains unknown.

Corina Marks.

Recently the Washington Post published an article which highlights the increase of claims to privatize public lands in the Western states such as Colorado, Utah, Arizona, California and New Mexico. As more and more natural landscapes are being protected and utilized as recreation areas and tourist destinations, others are being bought to protect mining rights…and the border between these areas is awfully small. A study conducted by a nonprofit organization found that in the last five years claims to public lands have increased by 80% in Western states. There exist 815 claims to mining rights that lie within five miles of the Grand Canyon. In California 869 mining claims are within five miles of Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Yosemite National Park.

What allows this new surge of privatization? An outdated law governing mining that has been unrevised since 1872 when it was written to encourage settlement in the West. The Washington Post emphasizes the societal changes since this law was written by noting that the light bulb had not yet been discovered at the time the law was enacted. The law says that metal mining has priority over recreation, ranching, and conservation in utilizing land. In addition, mining companies, foreign and domestic, pay no royalties and claim holders are allowed to purchase land for $5 an acre and build as they wish.

It is important that the media draws attention to the harmful effects of antiquated legislation. The good news in this case is that Congress is taking action and legislation has been initiated to modernize the law in order to ensure that mining is done within parameters that meet legal and environmental standards of today. Under the new Act mining companies will have to pay royalties and establish a fund to deal with hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines that have left landscapes gutted. And in the end, if all goes well, the new law will end priority of mining over conservation and recreation.
As always, there is opposition from fans of the mining industry (allies in Congress) who will inevitably argue that the revision will ‘threaten our national security’ as well as ‘weaken our economy’. The fact is that if unregulated mining continues many of our remaining natural landscapes will be contaminated through chemical seepage, land displacement, and cleared of native flora and fauna due to neighboring mines.

As land rights all over the world are being sold to private and corporate buyers, it is important to protect natural lands and the ecosystems they support. At WiLCOAST we are working to protect land in Baja California, as it is being sold to American tourists as well as corporations at an alarming rate. Through buying land and establishing conservation easements we are ensuring that the coast that is home to many endemic species is preserved and protected from mass development and resource extraction. 

Corina Marks

A new study conducted by the Mexico City-based Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, concludes that the massive tourist developments springing up and down along the coast of Baja California will threaten the region’s scarce water supply and could possibly harm the region’s long-term economic growth.

In particular the study singles out large-scale resorts and golf course. Golf course in particular, can become a heavy burden on the regions water resources. An average golf course uses as much water as 6000 people. One particular development in the works would add 6000 residences, 7000 hotel rooms and 4 golf courses. As more and more of these mega-developments emerge, the strain on aquifers in the area becomes more and more intense.

That’s not to say that a lack of water will be the only problems created by the rise of these mega-developments. Local wages will decrease as competition for tourist dollars force these mega-hotels to offer cheaper room rates. In addition the increased human impact would cause more pollution, less biological diversity and eventually “ecosystems will be broken … the bubble will burst.” One reason why people flock to Baja is to enjoy the natural wonders and beauty of the region, yet as more and more people discover its natural wonders the peninsula becomes threatened by them.

In today’s society as people become richer and richer, they are able to afford luxuries in life. People are willing and able to pay for a vacation in Baja California at one of the exotic resorts with five star amenities. Yet when you look at the sheer size and scale of these developments you get a sense of how excessive they are. Many of these developments advertise their stunning hotels in a beautiful and pristine land overlooking clean, pristine, deserted beaches with gentle waves lapping at the white sand.

Yet at this rate, many of these beaches will become crowded and polluted as more and more people come to vacation. The coastline will be radically changed into another resort-lined tourist trap. People living in the area will have to deal with water shortages.

Support efforts to keep the natural environment the way it is and the way it was meant to be. Instead of staying at a mega-resort, try to look at eco-friendly options and look into eco-tourism. Ultimately these developers are responding to consumer needs, and consumers don’t need to see another natural environment destroyed by mega-developments.

Calvin Lee

On the front page of the New York Times business section of May 20 is displayed a colorful mansion surrounded by trees as far as the eye can see. The title reads ‘Who Controls Paradise?’ The article outlines a development dilemma frontlined by the opposing ideals two major landholders in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.

Today there exists a 32,473 acre reserve in Jalisco which contains one of the most studied forests in the world. The reserve is named Chamela Cuixmala Biosphere and is on the Pacific Coast of mainland Mexico. The region is known for its unique forest wildlife due to the dynamic of a very dry season and a wet season.
The controversy in the region is that two resorts have been approved next to the Chamela Cuixmala ecological reserve. Recently the newly elected President has enacted a law to prohibit the destruction of coastal mangroves in an effort to protect wildlife. These resorts are supported by some of Mexico’s most powerful (wealthy) entrepreneurs who have invested in the land and claim that the resorts were approved before the new coastal protection law.

Developers have proposed two resorts near the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere, federally protected land (Photo: NYT)

Another large landholder of 25,000 acres in and around the reserve is the Goldsmith family. They were instrumental in designating land for the protected area and propose to keep the region sparsely populated in order to protect wildlife. The area is a perfect site for a demonstration eco-lodge resort so that more developers in Mexico can use their model as an example of a profitable tourist attraction. There already exists successful eco-lodges in Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, and Peru where visitors pay $200 to $300 per night and enjoy recreation in the natural surrounding area most often a protected land or marine park.
Some people have criticized the Goldsmith family saying that they are just interested in preserving their own investments in the region. In my opinion, OK, fine, the idea that someone will profit makes it an even better example for developers in the future. The fact that wildlife within a fragile ecosystem will be preserved is the most salient point of the matter. Mexico has been sucked dry in Cancun as well as Puerto Vallarta of natural coastal area due to its mass development of resorts. People pay for what they find in the U.S. with warmer weather and cheaper food. The land is devoid of natural landscape and animals.
At WiLDCOAST the Wildlands Program is aiming to protect as well as publicize the beauty of Baja California. As in Jalisco we hope to raise money to protect regions for wildlife and develop adjacent low-impact resorts where people can visit the reserve. Hiking, kayaking, surfing, and stargazing are all more enjoyable where there are less people and more to see.
As the world accepts global warming as fact rather then fiction, our population grows exponentially each year, and the environmental revolution grows stronger, less crowded, more natural, getaways will be more and more valuable.
Corina Marks